Can or jar lifter.



w. s. RAWLINGS.

CAN OR .IAR LIFIEH. APPuvcATioN man SEPT. 1051917.

Lm. Paten-ced Feb. 5, 191s.

WILLIAM s'rnrHnN RAWLINGS, OF MARSHALL, INDIANA.

CAN R JAR LIFTR.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patenten Feb. s, 1ers.

Application led September 10, 1917. Serial N o. 190,567.

To all 'whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. RAwLiNcs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marshall, in theV county of Parke and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can Vor Jar Lifters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to maire and use the same. Y

This invention relates to new and'useful j improvements in .can or jar lifters.

vThe primary objectv of the invention is to provide a device which is especially designed for removing fruit cans or jars from a receptacle containing boiling water in which they are immersed while the contents of the jars are being cooked, the device being so constructed that it can be readily and easily engaged withV thecan or jar while the same is in the water, and be disengaged therefrom and placed in an upright position upon the table or other support without requiring the user touching the can or jar with his hands. Y

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a device of this character which will be extremely simple, strong, durable and inexpensive in construction, `efficient and reliable in operation, and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

1Withthese and other objects in view, the

invention consists of certain novel features of construction, `and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Y

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a jar and a device constructed in accordance with this invention, showing the latter in the act of being engaged with the jar; 1

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device engaged with the jar;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken onthe plaine indicated by the line 3 3 of Fig.2; an j Fig. 4 is a perspective viewof the device.

`Referring more particularly to the `drawingsv the numeral 1 designates a handle, which is preferably made of vwood or some other suitable material which is substantially a non-conductor of heat. The handle 1 is provided with a longitudinally extending bore for receiving the shank portions of the can or jar engaging members 3 and 4.

The jar engaging member 3 is Vformed from a single length of comparatively strong wire by bending it intermediate of its ends into two substantially parallel portions 5 and 6. These portions 5 and 6 are bent laterally and inwardly at their lower ends as at 7 and connected by a cross bar 8 which is curved longitudinally as shown. The upper ends of the portions 5 and 6 are bent laterally inwardly as at 9 to form a pair of arms, and the free ends of the arms 9 are struck upwardly to form shanls 10 which are extended through the bore 2 of the handle 1 and upset at their upper ends over the top of the handle to provide a means for secur ing the jar engaging member 3 to the latter.

The other jar engaging member 4 is constructed of comparatively thick resilient wire in a manner similar to the manner in which the member 3 is constructed with the exception that it is not provided at its lower end with the inturned portions 7, but the lower ends of the parallel portions 11 of this member 4 are connected by a longitudinally curved cross bar 12. The upper ends of the portions 11 are bent laterally inwardly to form arms 13, the inner ends of which are struck upwardly to form shanks 14 which are extended through the bore of the handle and upset at their upper ends. The member 4 is of considerably less length than the member 3 and is spaced away from the same for a' purpose which will be now described.

It is to be noted that the inturned lower ends 7 of the portions 5 and 6 of the member 3 and the cross bar 8 forms what may' be termed a step.

In using the device, assuming that the jars to be moved are immersed in an upright position in a receptacle containing boiling water, the device is first held in an inclined position with its shorter jar engaging member 4 disposed downwardly, and the top of the jar between the endsof the two jar engaging members.` The device is then moved downwardly and at the same time moved into a vertical position, the members 3 and 4 being thus engaged with the opposite sides of the jar. When the step carried at the lower end of the member 3 passes below the lower end or bottom of the jar, 'it will spring under the same. owing to the fact that the member 4 is resilient and tends to hold the member 3 in tight contact with the jar. The device with the jar inserted between the members 3 and 5 can then be raised out of the receptacle and carried to the table or other support whereon the jar is to be placed. The jar is rested in an upright position upon the support and the lifter is moved to an inclined position with the shorter member l disposed downwardly and at the same time raised. This causes the stop carried by the member 3 to be removed from beneath the bottom of the jar and allows the entire device to be disengaged from the same without requiring the user to touch the jar with his hands.

From the foregoing description taken inv connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, use and operation of the device will be readily understood without a more extended explanation.

As various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details ot construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of this invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the construction herein shown and described other than as claimed.

I claim:

l. A jar lifter of the class described comprising a single handle, a pair of substantially parallel resilient jar engaging members rigidly attached to sail handle and eX" tending longitudinally from the same, one of said members being shorter than the other and haring a jar receiving seat at its free end, and an inwardly extending step at the :t'ree end of the other or longer member, said step being` adapted to engage beneath the bottom of a jar when the device is in use.

2. A jar lifter of the class described comprising a pair of parallel members adapted to engage opposite sides of a'jar throughout a considerable portion of the length of said sides, one of said members being resilient to permit it to spring away from the other member while the device is being placed upon a 'jar and one of said members being shorter than the other member', an inwardly extending step at the lower end of the longer member, said step being adapted to engage beneath the bottom ot the jar, and a handle to which said members are rigidly connected.

3. A device of the class described com prising a pair of substantially parallel jar engaging members, one of said members being formed from a single length of wire bent intermediate of its ends vto form two parallel portions having their lower ends connected by a longitudinally curved cross bar and their upper ends bent inwardly to form arms, a handle to which the inner ends of ,said arms and the other member are connected, said other member being longer` than the first named member and having an inwardly extending step formed at itslower end.

4. A device olf the `class described comcurved cross bar to form a step at the lower end of this member.

5. A device of the class described comprising a handle having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough, a pair of substantially parallel jar engaging members, each of which is formed from a single length of wire being bent intermediate of itsends to form a pair of parallel portions, the upper ends of said portions being bent inwardly to form arms, theV latter having their inner ends struck upwardly to form Shanks which are extended through the bore of said handle to attach said members to the latter, the parallel portions of one of said members being united by a longitudinally curved cross bar, the parallel portions of the other member being longer than those of the first member and having their lowerV ends bent inwardly and `united by a' longitudinally curved cross bar to form a step.'

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM STEPHEN alwmms Witnesses C. F. AsnURY, "V, LEE OVERMAN.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

i Washington, D. C. i 

